An increasingly exasperated Patel then watched as Flintoff top-edged a pull shot off him towards Pathan at fine leg.

But though the fielder grabbed the catch, the momentum forced him to step back over the boundary rope as Flintoff recorded his third six in the innings.

Collingwood was finding runs much harder to come by and when he edged a drive at Sreesanth, the edge was gratefully taken by Mahendra Dhoni.

The breach having been established, England then lost two further wickets quickly before lunch.

Owais Shah showed a cool head in his maiden Test appearance

Flintoff had twice hit Kumble for four through the leg-side. But attempting a repeat, he holed out tamely to deep mid-wicket to fall for 50.

Then Geraint Jones played an appalling flat-footed drive at Sreesanth to give Kumble the easiest gully catch a man could have.

Shah, who resumed on 50 after retiring with cramp at tea on day one, was batting with Shaun Udal when the middle session began.

The pair had put on 32 for the seventh wicket when India struck again, Patel finally getting an overdue wicket when Udal played all around a full straight delivery to be lbw.

And the next ball was too much for Hoggard, bowled for a golden duck.

The last two wickets yielded a precious 44 runs.

Shah had a century in his sights when lofting Harbhajan into the stands at long-on, but the bowler had his revenge in his following over when Dravid dived to take a fine catch at slip.

Anderson showed some improved batting skills to get to 15 before giving short leg a catch off Harbhajan and India's openers survived five overs before tea.

But in the final session, England's seamers did what India's had twice failed to do - take wickets with the new ball.

Hoggard was in his element and he first struck when Sehwag, not for the first time in the series, failed to get his gloves out of the way of a short-pitched ball which then looped into Shah's lap at first slip.